Flower Show 2026: Awards
This post is strictly to record and celebrate all the awards presented at the Flower Show. Later posts will show photos of the entries and the amazing event.
Winners' names in red NGC awards in purple Club awards in green
Sweepstakes Award for Overall Flower Show – Debbie Moran
FLOWER DESIGN
Award of Design Excellence - Florence Leyssène
SECTION A: “ROOTED IN TIME” The Twenties through the Fifties
TriColor Award – Cheryl Slutzky
Class 1: “All That Jazz” A Creative Design
1st – Barbara Baletti
2nd, 90+ – Betty Murphy
3rd – Susan Straten
HM – Laurie Kroll
Class 2: “Picture Perfect” An American Traditional Line-Mass Design.
1st – Cheryl Slutzky
2nd – Kathy Bachmann
3rd – Clare Kuch
HM – Wendy Stahl
Class 3: “Suburban Style” An American Traditional Design, limited to novice and intermediate members.
1st – Lisa Schweitzer (winner of Julia S. Berrall Award)
2nd – Guita Behbin
3rd – Michael De Castro
HM – Ali Kilduff
Class 4: “Mad for Modern” A Functional Tray Design for One
1st – Floss O’Sullivan
2nd – Amy South
3rd – Edith Ries
HM – Carol Callahan
SECTION B: “BRANCHING OUT” The Sixties through the Nineties The Petite Award – Karen Fricke
Class 5: “Free Spirit” A Petite American Traditional Design 1st – Deborah Hirsch 2nd – Amy Poster 3rd – Kathy Sorkin HM – Carol Callahan
Class 6: “Bold Moves” A Petite Transparency Design 1st – Celia Radek 2nd – Fran Ackerly
3rd – Heidi Muschick HM – Laurie Kroll
Class 7: “Mix It Up” A Petite Multi-Rhythmic Design 1st – Karen Fricke 2nd – Debbie Moran 3rd – Olga Bequillard HM – Tracy Reilly
SECTION C: “ENTWINED” The Aughts through the Twenty-Twenties Designer’s Choice Award – Florence Leyssène
Class 8: “New Wave” An American Traditional Line Design 1st – Victoria Herrera 2nd – Sarah Olson 3rd – Sue Young HM – Michele Tomasik
Class 9: “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” A Tubular Design 1st – Sarah Stransky 2nd – Cynthia Corhan-Aitken 3rd – Marie Donnelly HM – Susan Benner
Class 10: “Forward Thinking” A Creative Line Design 1st – Florence Leyssène (winner of The Barbara Slockbower Schaeberle Award) 2nd – Floss O’Sullivan (winner of The Betty B. Merriam Silver Bowl) 3rd – Tova Narrett HM – Sydney Milliken
HORTICULTURE
Award of Horticultural Excellence – Celia Radek
Section A: “The Bee’s Knees” Flowering Annuals Award of Merit – Denise Silverman
Class 1: Salvia 1st – Celia Radek 2nd 90+ – Maureen Sprong 3rd – Michele Tomasik
Class 2: Tagetes (marigold) 1st – Debbie Moran
Class 3: Zinnia
1st – Denise Silverman
2nd 90+ – Jane Wallace
Class 4: Any other worthy flowering annual specimen
2nd – Fran Ackerly
Section B: “New Deal” Annuals Grown for Foliage Award of Merit – Kem Louie
Class 5: Jacobea maritima (dusty miller) 1st – Anna Lee
Class 6: Solenostemon (coleus) HM – Sue Young HM – Susan Yu
Class 6a Solenostemon (coleus) 1st – Maria Matesanz
2nd 90+ – Susan Yu
HM – Lauren Zodel
Class 6b Solenostemon (coleus)
1st – Kem Louie
2nd – Debbie Moran
3rd – Sarah Olson
Class 7: Strobilanthes (Persian shield)
1st – Denise Silverman
2nd – Michele Tomasik
HM – Lauren Zodel
Class 8: Any other worthy annual specimen grown for foliage
1st – Sarah Olson
2nd – Ana Moore
HM – Celia Radek
Section C: “Pop Art” Flowering Herbaceous Perennial
Award of Merit – Cynthia Corhan-Aitken
Class 9: Aster 1st – Cynthia Corhan-Aitken 3rd – Kem Louie HM – Jacoba Coes HM – Michele Tomasik
Class 11: Sedum 1st – Susan Yu 2nd – Maria Matesanz 3rd – Cynthia Corhan-Aitken HM – Kathy Bachmann
Class 12: Any other worthy flowering herbaceous perennial specimen 1st – Denise Silverman 2nd – Ana Moore
3rd – Michele Tomasik
Class 12a: Any other worthy flowering herbaceous perennial specimen 1st – Jacoba Coes
2nd – Debbie Moran
3rd – Anna Lee
HM – Michele Trevenen
Section D: “Counterculture” Perennials Grown for Foliage
Award of Merit – Celia Radek
Class 13: Fern
1st – Anna Lee
2nd 90+ – Maria Matesanz
HM – Karen Fricke
Class 15: Hosta
1st – Debbie Moran
2nd – Maria Matesanz
HM – Karen Fricke
Class 16: Any other worthy perennial specimen grown for foliage
1st – Celia Radek
Section E: “Baby Boom” Flowering Bulbs, Corms, Rhizomes, or Tubers
Award of Merit – Susan Yu
Class 19: Dahlia – one (1) stem
1st – Donna Karanja
2nd – Heidi Muschick
Class 19a: Dahlia – one (1) stem
1st – Heidi Muschick
2nd 90+ – Heidi Muschick
3rd – Heidi Muschick
HM – Kem Louie
Class 19b: Dahlia – one (1) stem
2nd – Marie Donnelly
2nd – Heidi Muschick
3rd – Michael De Castro
HM – Olga Bequillard
HM – Michele Trevenen
Class 20: Any other worthy flowering bulb, corm, rhizome, or tuber specimen
1st – Jacoba Coes
2nd – Olga Bequillard
Class 20a: Any other worthy flowering bulb, corm, rhizome, or tuber specimen
1st – Cynthia Corhan-Aitken
2nd – Michele Trevenen
3rd – Kathy Bachmann
HM – Donna Karanja
HM – Sarah Olson
Class 20b: Any other worthy flowering bulb, corm, rhizome, or tuber specimen
1st – Susan Yu
2nd – Maureen Sprong
3rd – Maria Matesanz
Section F: “Victory Gardens” Vegetables Award of Merit – Kathy Bachmann
Class 21: Capsicum (pepper) – five (5) if small; one (1) if large
1st – Kathy Bachmann
2nd – Celia Radek
Class 24: Any other worthy vegetable specimen
1st – Karen Fricke
2nd – Denise Silverman
3rd – Karen Frick
Section G: “Hashtag”
Herbs
Award of Merit – Debbie Moran
Class 25: Rosmarinus (rosemary)
1st – Cynthia Corhan-Aitken
2nd – Olga Bequillard
3rd – Karen Whitehaus
HM – Imke Oster
HM – Pam Turre
Class 26: Salvia (sage)
1st – Jacoba Coes
2nd – Pam Turre
3rd – Imke Oster
HM – Karen Whitehaus
Class 27: Thymus (thyme)
1st – Debbie Moran
2nd – Karen Whitehaus
Class 28: Any other worthy herb specimen
2nd – Karen Whitehaus
3rd – Michele Trevenen
HM – Karen Whitehaus
Section H: “Outa Sight”
Rosa
Award of Merit – Valerie Slamka
Class 29: Floribunda
1st – Valerie Slamka (winner of The Barbara Meyer Rose Award)
2nd – Valerie Slamka
Class 30: Hybrid Tea
2nd – Valerie Slamka
Class 31: Shrub Rose
2nd – Valerie Slamka
HM – Cynthia Corhan-Aitken
HM – Denise Silverman
Class 32: Any other worthy named rose specimen
2nd – Valerie Slamka
Section I: “Nifty”
Woody Shrubs
Arboreal Award – Karen Fricke
One (1) cut stem no longer than 30” in length from cut end to apical tip; must include several nodes and the central leader. Must have been grown by exhibitor for at least six (6) months.
Class 35: Hydrangea quercifolia (oakleaf)
2nd – Jane Wallace
Class 36a: Any other worthy woody shrub specimen
1st – Ana Moore
2nd – Donna Karanja
3rd – Anna Lee
HM – Imke Oster
Class 36b: Any other worthy woody shrub specimen
1st – Sarah Olson
2nd – Susan Yu
Class 36c: Any other worthy woody shrub specimen
1st – Karen Fricke
2nd – Olga Bequillard
Section J: “You’ve Got Mail”
Collections
Collector’s Showcase Award – Michele Tomasik
One (1) cut stem of five (5) different varieties/cultivars, exhibited in individual transparent containers provided by exhibitor; staging accessories such as mats, risers, etc. permitted but plant material must dominate; each specimen must be correctly identified by botanical name and its location easily identified in the collection (see HB, p. 60). Allotted space, 15” w x 24” d. Maximum of four (4) entries per class.
Class 37: A collection of Dahlias – one (1) stem, disbudded; a minimum of one (1) set of leaves
1st – Maureen Sprong
Class 38: A collection of herbs
1st – Kathy Bachmann (winner of The Amy Hatrak Herb Award)
2nd – Sarah Olson
Class 39: A collection of Solenostemon (coleus)
1st – Michele Tomasik
2nd – Maureen Sprong
3rd – Sue Young
Section K: “Hot Dish”
Combination Plantings, A Dish Garden
Grower’s Choice Award – Karen Fricke
Miniature landscape of three (3) or more botanically different plants with similar cultural requirements.
Class 41: Woodland Landscape
1st – Karen Fricke (winner of The Estelle Leibrecht Horticulture Award)
2nd – Celia Radek
3rd – Sarah Stransky
EDUCATION“Deep Roots, New Shoots”
Educational Top Exhibitor Award – Karen Fricke
Section A: “Cultivating Change”
1st – Karen Fricke“ Creating Change: The Pollinator Pathway”
2nd – Deborah Hirsch “The Art of Flower Design: 100 Years of Flower Shows”
BOTANICAL ARTS
“From Garden to Gallery”
Section A: Artistic Crafts “Let’s Celebrate”
Botanical Arts Artistic Crafts Award – Floss O’Sullivan
Class 1 “Happy 100th Birthday!” A 5” x 7” one-sided invitation to a party.
1st – Debbie Moran
2nd 90+ – Celia Radek
3rd – Karen DeLuca
HM – Clare Kuch
Class 2 “A Shoe Fit for a Party” A shoe, provided by exhibitor.
1st – Fran Ackerly
2nd 90+ – Michele Tomasik
3rd – Susan Benner
HM – Marilyn Zaret
Class 3 “Party Bling” A necklace using a structure created by exhibitor.
1st – Floss O’Sullivan
2nd – Cheryl Slutzky
3rd – Fran Ackerly
HM – Pam Turre
Section B, Photography: “Shifting Focus”
Botanical Arts Photography Award – Clare Kuch
Class 4 “Let It Be” A black and white photograph of a landscape.
1st – Michele Tomasik
2nd – Barbara Baletti
3rd – Sue Young
HM – Sarah Olson
HM – Amy South
HM – Susan Yu
Class 5 “Making Waves” A color photograph that includes the element of water in nature.
1st – Victoria Herrera
2nd 90+– Michele Tomasik
3rd 90+ – Tasha Madhok
HM 90+ – Sue Young
HM – Olga Bequillard
HM – Mary Anne Link
HM – Clare Kuch
HM – Sheila Oakes
HM – Celia Radek
HM – Sarah Stransky
Class 6 “Totally Rad” A color close-up photograph of an image in nature.
1st – Clare Kuch
2nd 90+ – Donna Karanja
3rd – Olga Bequillard
HM – Kathy Bachmann
HM – Barbara Baletti
HM – Charlene Connolly
HM – Karen DeLuca
HM – Victoria Herrera
HM – Mary Anne Link
HM – Sheila Oakes
Comments